BREAKING: Speight Surrenders Teaching License

In a stunning development, the South Shore Regional School Board has reached a settlement with a controversial ex-elementary school teacher. The board confirmed the deal involving Peter Speight this evening during their regular monthly meeting at Hebbville Academy. The arrangements of the deal include the former Grade 3 teacher immediately resign and surrender his teaching license. Financial terms of the arrangement have not been revealed. Superintendent Nancy Pynch-Worthylake says the financial terms are confidential but confirmed Speight will be paid on top of the $150,000 already owed in back pay. The agreement was announced after the school board moved in-camera for nearly an hour to consult with their legal team. Lawyer John MacPherson told board members there had been a flurry of developments regarding the matter and that a settlement had been reached. The elected board then passed a motion to accept the terms of the settlement in unanimous fashion. Late Wednesday, Education Minister Ramona Jennex ordered the school board to place Speight on administrative leave until a judicial review process was complete. The South Shore Regional School Board had been ordered to give Speight his teaching position back even though he had pleaded guilty to sex charges more than three years ago. Speight was given a conditional discharge at the time and was later fired by the board for his actions. However, after a judicial review it was determined he was unreasonably discharged and deemed a low risk to re-offend - a decision upheld by the Supreme Court of Nova Scotia in November. The Department of Education and local school board had been fighting for the last few year's to block Speight's return to the classroom. The settlement means Speight will not be making another appearance at New Germany Elementary.